Best Chocolate Banana Bread

Mrs. Cookie's Note:

This recipe comes from Joyofbaking.com. I baked this for 50 minutes and waited about five minutes more to remove the bread carefully from the pan and let it cool completley on the cooling rack. If I would've followed the original recipe it might not have been so so moist.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed well (approximately 1 pound or 454 grams)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish

• demerara sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
2. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with coarse brown sugar (optional). Bake until bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean,( I baked it for 50 minutes, and removed it carefully from the pan and let it cool) about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reviews

[Annalicious]

De-licious! Was on Foodieview.com and went thru dozens of recipes and decided on this one and was very happy!! It did take a little longer than 50 minutes though, was more like an hour. Thanks for the recipe!

[Debbb]

Yummy! Awesome flavour, nice texture & I loved the addition of the toasted pecans!! I don't think the white chocolate chips really enhanced the flavour but they didn't hurt it either. I baked for the full 60 minutes & the middle was a little soft but the edges were beginning to burn. So, I just left the loaf in the pan until it was cooled which cooked the centre through. I followed the recipe exactly but omitted the garnish.